GRAFTON, Mass.—If you blinked, you missed the recent hike in gasoline prices.

According to Gasbuddy.com, the average price at the pump in central Massachusetts has risen 18 cents per gallon the past 10 days, from $3.47 to $3.65. That means a commuter who filled up their 15 gallon tank twice a week is paying about $22 more per month.

Gregg Laskoski, senior petroleum analyst for Gassbuddy.com, said despite the large hike in Massachusetts, other parts of the country, such as California and Michigan, have seen hikes as high as 40 cents. He said the increase is pegged to three factors:

• Crude oil prices are at $98 per barrel, the highest he said since May 2012 and exacerbated by a weak dollar.
• A rash of geopolitical news, especially the recent tension between Israel and Iran.
• Gasoline refineries have reduced their inventory in winter blend fuel as they begin the process of bringing summer blend to market by May 1.

Allyson Schmutter, spokeswoman for the Alliance to Save Energy, a nonprofit energy efficiency advocacy group in Washington, D.C., said consumers can fight back with some simple practices:

• Lose the excess trunk weight. Consumers can reduce their gas bill by $40 per year for every 100 pounds they shed.
• Drive smarter. Schmutter said by avoiding rapid acceleration, speeding and braking on the highway, consumers can save $991 per year on fuel. “Every 5 mph over 50 is the equivalent of 24 cents per gallon,” she said.
• Maintain optimal tire pressure. This simple step will save $60 a year in gasoline, she said.

Laskoski said there is some modest good news. He said the spike in gas prices might be over but he predicts prices will continue to increase through April or May.

Comments (8)

Still not sure why, but the Mobile in town is selling diesel at $4.19 a gallon... but in Millbury its only $3.99 a gallon. I doubt that has anything to do with the cost per barrel... just sayin! If you wanna save 20 cents per gallon head over to the station across from CVS in Millbury.

Oh a five year high? Wow. Stop the presses. Barry is the best president since, Chavez. Your guy claimed to be for the middle class and vowed to continue bringing control to the evil empire known as Wall Street. Yet, gas is through the roof on speculation alone and in turn, it's the middle class that bears the brunt. Guess Barry and Mother Warren really have the middle classes interests at heart.

Regardless of the validity of the comment you are responding to, you sound like a broken record. I think it's appropriate to point out that politicians from all points on the spectrum hand a hand in the collapse. Anyone who disagrees with that is blindly partisan like Liberal up top.

Take out Inside job from the Grafton library. You can watch it while you are snowed in. Barney Frank is interviewed. So is Romney's and Bush's economic advisor. He is dean at Columbia University. Proving that the Ivy's are not filled with liberals.
This Oscar winning documentary clearly shows several factors that lead to the economic collapse.
Deregulation pushed by academics, who were funded by the banks.
Banks no longer having any incentive to deny a loan.
Stock traders who love the risk
Rating agencies who got paid by the people looking for a good ratings.
A government enforcement agency that was called anti-business and discouraged from doing it's job. That is not a democratic theme.
I also read inside short. They don't blame the Democratic.

Can you point about, besides the Glass-segal act, about democratic bills that lead to the economic collapse.
If Glass-segal was so bad, why did the Bush and the GOP congress not repeal the law.
Can you point out a bill purposed by Democratic Barney Frank or Chis Dodd that passed the GOP house? I can't.

To say it is both parties fault implies that it a 50/50 split. It is not.

The vast blame for the economic collapse can be laid at the GOP's feet.

Gas priced peaked during the reign of Gee Dub. Which, in any case, is not terribly relevant because the President does not have a lot of control over the price of gas. Now, if you want to talk about President Obama's efforts to reign in Wall Street, and how the GOP clown brigade in Congress, with the help of Former (love that word!!) Sen. Scott Brown, has hindered that, or how President Obama has put in place policies generally favorable to the shrinking (thanks to GOP favoritism for Wall Street) middle class, we can have that conversation some other time.
And FYI, the US is on track to be energy independent by 2030. You can thank "Barry" for a large part of that.